Role of dipyridamole-echocardiography test in electrocardiographically silent effort myocardial ischemia

Abstract

A frequent clinical problem is documentation of the elusive entity of “electrocardiographically silent” effort myocardial ischemia. In this study, 83 patients with angina on effort and either negative or nondiagnostic exercise stress test results underwent a dipyridamole-echocardiography (echo) test, a feasible and useful tool for detection of coronary artery disease (CAD). The dipyridamole-echo test (2-dimensional echocardiographic monitoring combined with intravenous dipyridamole infusion at a maximal dosage of 0.84 mg/kg over 10 minutes) and coronary arteriography were performed in all patients. Positivity of dipyridamole-echo test was based on the detection of regional transient asynergy of contraction. At coronary arteriography, 50 of the 83 patients had significant (more than 70% diameter reduction) CAD: 27 had 1-vessel, 17 had 2-vessel and 6 had 3-vessel CAD. Interpretable echocardiograms were recorded in all the patients studied. The dipyridamole-echo test results were positive in 27 of the 50 patients (54%) with CAD. No patient without CAD had a positive test result. In conclusion, the dipyridamole-echo test frequently unmasks electrocardiographically silent effort myocardial ischemia by providing objective mechanical evidence of the ischemic event.